Bali, Indonesia, is one of the world’s top tourist destinations, and citizens of most countries can easily visit it as they get visa-on-arrival facilities.
Previously, Bangladeshi citizens could visit the country with just an air ticket, as they were also eligible for the visa-on-arrival facility. However, this facility has recently been withdrawn for Bangladeshi travelers.
Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia, is another popular tourist destination that regularly tops the lists of most visited places around the world. While other nationals can travel there with ease, Bangladeshi nationals must go through a lengthy and tedious visa process to visit.
Vietnam, another budget-friendly destination for travelers, also suspended tourist visas for Bangladeshi citizens in January this year.
Thus, the world is gradually becoming less accessible for Bangladeshi nationals. An increasing number of countries have shut their doors, with even smaller nations withdrawing visa-on-arrival facilities. Others are prolonging the visa process, making international travel more difficult for Bangladeshis.
East and Southeast Asian countries are also showing reluctance in issuing tourist visas, while Bangladeshi citizens continue to face challenges in obtaining visas for Middle Eastern and European countries.
After the change in the political landscape, the medical and tourist visas for India were closed, and Thailand, the most popular destination for Bangladeshis to travel and for medical treatment, has also changed its character in issuing visas. Thailand, which used to get visas in three to four days earlier, is increasingly canceling visa applications.
Applications from travelers to the United States, Canada, and Schengen countries are also being rejected. Even to get visas, one has to wait a long time. Dubai, another popular destination for Bangladeshis, has now introduced visas on a limited basis after being closed for several days. It is not meeting the expectations of travel enthusiasts. Uzbekistan, a place of interest for Bangladesh in recent times, has suddenly removed Bangladesh's name from the list of electronic visa issuances.
Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) President Md. Rafeuzzaman told Bangladesh Pratidin on Saturday that outbound tourism is facing disruption due to the declining number of visas being issued.
Visa hurdles are mounting for Bangladeshi travelers, with difficulties now being reported in obtaining visas for the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand. Additionally, visas for destinations such as Dubai, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar are currently unavailable. The visa processes for Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand have also become increasingly complicated. India has completely suspended visa issuance.
Meanwhile, interest in destinations that continue to offer visas to Bangladeshis, such as Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, is waning, as many travelers have already visited these countries multiple times. Most tourists are now looking for new destinations, said Md. Rafeuzzaman, President of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB).
He added that the visa crisis could be eased if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Bangladesh, actively engaged with the foreign ministries of the countries where visa-related issues persist.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain has said that Bangladeshi citizens themselves bear significant responsibility for the current visa complications. “The people of our country, especially businessmen and tour operators, are largely to blame for these hurdles,” he said.
“Many may not like what I’m saying,” he added, “but I firmly believe that we have a lot of work to do in this area. The way people are traveling, often without following proper rules, is contributing to the growing problems.”
MoFA officials mentioned various reasons for such a hurdle despite good diplomatic relations. They identified recidivism as one of the primary reason behind this complication.
Despite being a Muslim-majority country and generally supportive to Bangladesh, Indonesia has kept its visa-on-arrival facility suspended for Bangladeshi nationals over the past three years. The decision stems from widespread misuse of the route by human traffickers, who used Indonesia as a transit point to Australia.
In response, Bangladesh repeatedly requested the reinstatement of visa-on-arrival facilities during various bilateral meetings, but to no avail. Currently, even if an application is successful, it takes two to three months to obtain a visa.
Vietnam has also imposed stricter measures on Bangladeshi travelers due to similar concerns. Authorities there have received reports that many Bangladeshi tourists do not return after their visas expire. Some have taken up unauthorized work, while others have migrated illegally to third countries. Citing these violations, Vietnam has adopted a tough stance on visa issuance for Bangladeshis.
Saudi Arabia, the largest labor market for Bangladeshi workers, has temporarily suspended block work visas for 14 countries, including Bangladesh, along with visas for Umrah, family visits, and business purposes.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), the second-largest destination for Bangladeshi labor, has also halted new entries. Oman, the third-largest labor market, has remained closed since last year. Malaysia’s labor market, another key destination, has been shut down since June 2023.
Meanwhile, securing work visas for Italy has become increasingly difficult. Despite long waiting periods, many applicants have yet to receive approvals. Worker deployment to Japan and South Korea is also falling short of demand. In Europe overall, the reality continues to fall short of expectations.
Translated by AM
